TONY Abbott says he wants to "bring on" Indonesian joint ventures to buy Australian cattle as he defended Indonesian abattoirs as being "quite comparable" to those in Australia.

Wrapping up his two-day visit to Indonesia, the Prime Minister also said both nations were united in wanting to stop asylum seeker boats because the issue was "bad for both countries".

He said it was a "border security nightmare" for Australia while Indonesia suffered from tens of thousands of people coming through their country "and not necessarily up to much good while they're here".

Mr Abbott said Indonesia was a "future global leader" and Australia wanted to be its trusted partner and to dramatically increase trade.

He said it was "embarrassing" that Australia's two-way trade with New Zealand's four million people was greater than with Indonesia's 250 million people.

Mr Abbott took another shot at the former Labor government's decision to suspend live cattle exports over allegations of cruelty, telling Indonesian business leaders such shock decisions would not happen under his rule.

"We can work together - but it will take some effort, especially after the shock of the former Australian government cancelling the live cattle export trade in panic at a TV program," he said.

"Nothing like this can ever be allowed to happen again."

Mr Abbott said on a trip to Indonesia last year he visited abattoirs in Indonesia "which were quite comparable to those in Australia and I reject any notion that Indonesian standards are lower than Australia's".

Later he said he was very keen for foreign investment in Australia as long as it complied with the rules and he hoped it would boost the live cattle trade.

"We do welcome foreign investment and if some Indonesian joint ventures in cattle are an important part of getting this trade re-started well please bring them on, bring them on," he said.

Mr Abbott also raised the cases of the Bali 9 in his formal talks in Indonesia.

Members of the group convicted for drug smuggling are on death row or have been given long prison sentences.

Mr Abbott would not give any details of the nature of his discussion with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, but Australia opposes the death penalty and usually pleads for an alternative sentence.

It is unclear if the case of Schapelle Corby was discussed.

"On the issue of consular cases, look, I did raise consular matters but I want to make it crystal clear that public commentary on any individual case is not going to be helpful. I don't propose to do it," Mr Abbott said

On boats, Mr Abbott insisted his policy was to turn back boats when safe and never to tow-back boats and it was wrongly being reported in some quarters.

He agreed with Dr Yudhoyono that both countries were "victims" of people smuggling.

"This is bad for both countries," Mr Abbott said.

"We've had this border security nightmare but it's bad for indoensia too because they've had tens of thousands of people transiting through their country and not necessaily up to much good while they're here."

Mr Abbott refused to specifically say if the leaders discussed the turn back the boats policy and the plan to buy Indonesian boats and help pay for information about people sugglers but said he stood by his policies.

"I am not going to spill the beans on discussions which necessarily should be confidential if they're to be as constructive and collegial and as candid as they need to be between trusted partners," he said.

"Everything was on the table. I made it very clear this is an issue of soverignty for us."

"On the Indonesian side there was a willingness to be as co-operative as possible to make sure this evil scourge is ended as quickly as we can."

Mr Abbott said he wanted more focus on education and investment and trade and the "vast scope" for Australia to get a bigger share of the Indonesian economic boom that was about to happen.

"From Australia's perspective there should be an urgency to building this relationship while there's still so much that Australia has to give and that Indonesia is keen to receive,' he said.

"The global centre of economic gravity is shifting to Asia and on present trends, Indonesia will be the number four economy in the world by mid-century."

Mr Abbott said he believed his trip and the 21-member business delegation had been well received.

"This is an absolutely critical relationship for Australia's future , it's a relationship with so much promise and I believe the relationship has been enhanced by this particular visit," he said.

"The fact is that most Indonesian abattoirs are barbaric charnel houses," Mr Wilkie said.

."There would now appear to be a very real risk that the new Australian Government will roll back the minimalist supply chain reform of its predecessor. This would be a disaster for animal welfare, entirely at odds with Australia's economic self-interest and a shocking betrayal of majority public opinion.

Meanwhile, Mr Abbott has taken a cautious approach to Australia launching a bid for the America's Cup, 30 years after the historic victory.

"On the America's Cup, it was great to see there were a number of Australians very prominently involved in the winning side in the recent race, although I have to say I commiserate with our Kiwi cousins on their disappointment," Mr Abbott said.

"As for what might happen in the future, let's see how things unfold."